David de Gea has been taken aback by Marcus Rashford's emergence and hopes the "unbelievable" talent can make history at Manchester United.

In less than two months the 18-year-old has gone from unknown academy player to become one of the most feted young footballers in English football.

Handed a surprise debut when Anthony Martial sustained an injury warming up for the Europa League clash with FC Midtjylland, Rashford certainly grasped that opportunity and followed up a brace in that tie with another double against Arsenal days later.

The teenager has shown no sign of letting up and marked his 12th senior appearance with a seventh goal on Saturday, securing a 1-0 win that relegated Aston Villa and earned praise from team-mate De Gea.

"It's unbelievable, no?" he said. "This player is really young and he's scored many goals.

"Hopefully, for many years, he'll be in this club and can make history for the club as well. He's a shy guy, he is a really good lad and a good team-mate. He's a really good guy."

Rashford's first-time strike settled an uninspiring clash at Old Trafford, where the gallows humour of Villa's travelling support was the main entertainment.

De Gea knows it was not the most entertaining encounter for supporters but an important victory on the back of the FA Cup quarter-final replay at West Ham.

"I think we didn't play really well but sometimes you have to win the games like this, take the three points and think to the next game," he told MUTV.

"Always we try to put everything on the pitch, give everything - every game we do the same.

"We take the three points and think quickly of the next game.

"I think we've defended really well this season and we need to continue until the last game and hopefully we will be in the top four.

"We need to win our games and wait for the rest of the teams. We will see in the end."

Compatriot Juan Mata echoed De Gea's sentiments ahead of Wednesday's league clash with Crystal Palace and the trip to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final against Everton.

"Maybe fans and the media took the win for granted and we never do this," he said.

"In the Premier League, it doesn't matter if the team is at the top or the bottom of the table, it is always difficult.

"Aston Villa played with pride and it is not easy, you have to be fully focused and we were not with five minutes to go as they created chances. It is an important day for us because we won.

"We now have Crystal Palace where hopefully we can win again, then we have the semi-final in the FA Cup which gives us two very clear aims which is to win - if we can - every game in the Premier League to (maybe) get Champions League football, and then to win the FA Cup which the club hasn't won for a few years.